Starting- mechanism for internal-combustion engines



w. H. CARD 11. 1'. CUSHMAN. STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I4, I9I5.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

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WILLIAM H. CARD AND JOSEPH: J. CIJ'SI-IMAN, 01? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916..

Application filed July 14, 1915. Serial No. 39,803.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. CARD and Josnrn J. CUSHMAN, both citizens of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new .and useful Improvements in Starting Mechanism for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification. a

This invention relates to a starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, and pertains especially to a starter for automobile engines.

It is an object of this invention to provide a mechanical starter which is simple in oporation, noiseless and compact.

It is another object of this invention to provide a mechanical starter which will not be affected by an advanced spark or a back kick. I

It is a still further object to provide a me chanical starter which may be installed under the hood of any automobile with only the starting handle on the dash.

We accomplish these objects by means of the embodiment of our invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a. perspective view of an automobile engine installed upon a frame with the hood removed showing our improved starter applied thereto. Fig.2 is a front view of the clutch mechanism for our starter. Fig. 3 is a side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2. Fi 4 is a perspective view of a link connecting the pull rod and a lever. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the dash board showing the position of the handle of the pull rod. Fig. 6 is an enlarged side view of the handle and means for attaching it to the dash. Fig. 7 is a section through the handle on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Our starting mechanism is shown mounted on a Ford automobile to which it is especially adapted.

8 indicates the frame of an automobile upon which is mounted an engine 9 shown herein as a four-cylinder engine and provided with a crank casing 10. The usual dash board is indicated by 11 and a portion of the frame for supporting the hood is shown by 12. Within the crank case 10 is a crank shaft 13 which is provided 'at its end with a pin 14, and the usual hand crank 15 for starting the engine. A fan wheel 16 of the usual formis mounted upon the shaft.

Rotatably mounted upon the shaft 13 is a disk 17 which is provided with an outstanding arm 18. Mounted upon the arm 18 and spaced from the plane thereof is a cross piece 19. Cross piece 19 may be secured to arm 13 by any suitable means such as screw 20. Cross piece 19 is apertured at 21 and is provided with a corresponding aperture in arm 18 for the reception of a pin 22. Pin 22 pivotally secures to the arm 18 a lever 23 which is provided at one end with a surface at of curved form and eccentric to the pin 22. The other end of lever 23 is slotted as indicated at 24: in which slot is positioned a link 25. Link25 is secured to lever 23 by pin 26 and a wall of the slot 24 acts as a stop for link 25 so that as shown in the figure it is limited in moving toward the right to a position such that it is substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the lever 23; Fixedly secured to the shaft 13 is a cylindrical disk 27 which is disposed to be engaged by the lever 23. The curved surface 24 of the lever engaging the cylindrical surface of the disk 27.

Due to the eccentricity of the curved surface 21 movement of the lever 23 in a clockwise direction will cause surface 24 to come in contact with the cylindrical surface of disk 27 and grip the latter, thereby forming a clutch and coupling the shaft 13 to the lever arm 23 so that continued movement of lever 23 will cause it to rotate shaft 13' and thereby turn over the engine. A spring 41 secured to the frame 8 and lever 23 serves to return lever 23. Link 25 is provided so that in starting the lever 23 from the posi tion shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a resultant lever arm of considerable length can be taken advantage of. Secured to link 25 is a chain 28 which is guided about an idler pulley 29 mounted upon albracket 30 which is secured to the engine frame. Chain 28 is secured to a lever 31. Lever 31 being pivoted'upon the engine frame and having at the upper end a pivoted link 32 to which is pivotally secured a pull rod 33.

Pull rod 33 is threaded at the end and an adjustable tubular lock member 341 is mounted thereon. A washer 35 of some resilient material such as leather, abuts the end of member 33. Mounted upon the end of the pull rod is a handle 36. It is obvious that the'threaded pull rod 33- and the threaded aperture in handle 36 provide means for adjusting the position of the handle with relation to the rod. Threaded member 34 provides means for locking the handle in its adjusted position while washer 35 provides a "buffer. To guide pull rod 33 through the aperture and dash board 11 we have pro' vided a tube 37 which encompasses the pull rod 33 and is provided at one end with threads as indicated at 38. Mounted upon the threaded end of tube 36 is a lock nut 39. A washer 10. having inclined faces is loosely mounted u 3011 tube37for 'en a ement b T nut l a: g Y

39. Asimilar washer 4:1 is mounted adbe caused to gripthe dash andthe tube po- 'guide'tube where no link is used.

sitioned to extend asfar outward as convenient. Thus if it is desirable that the handle 36 extend beyond the coil box the tube 37 is positioned to extend far enough inward beyond the dash so that the handle will clear'the coil box as indicated more particularly in Fi g. 5. The coil box being indicated by numeral 13.

To start the engine the handle 36. is grasped and given a quick inward pull. The pull rod 33 is moved inward acting upon link 32. Link 32 conveys the motionto lever 31. Lever 31 acts upon chain 28 which in turn transmits the forceto link 25 and pulls lever 23' so that surface 24: engages the cylindrical surface of disk 27 coupling the arm23 to the shaft 13. Continued movement turns the crank shaft 13, turning over the engine and thereby starting it.

It will be noted that link 32' permits a straight pull upon the rod 33, thereby doing away with the use of a flexible rod and the resultant friction between the rod and the It is also obvious that if the engine starts there is not chattering or noise'as is the case in ratchet mechanisms where a ratchet and pawl are used between the shaft and the lever.

What we claim is: p

1. In a starter for internal combustion engines, comprising a shaft for -an internal combustion engine, an arm 'rotatably mounted on said shaft, alever pivotally mounted on said arm, intermittent grip means operatively interposed between saidlever and said arm, a link pivotally secured to the opposite end of said lever, said lever provided with a stop limiting the pivotal" movement of said link, a flexible member secured to,

said link, a lever pivotally secured at one end to the end of the frame,said flexible member secured intermediate the ends of a lever pivotally secured at one end to the end'of said tube for engagement with said said lever, a pivoted link secured to the free 6 end of said lever, a'pull rod secured to said link and adapted to extend through thedash board, and a guide tube for said pull rod adapted to be mounted on the dash board.

' 2A starter for internal combustion engines, 7 comprising a shaft for an internal combustion engine, an arm rotatably mounted on said shaft, a lever pivotally mounted on said arm, intermittent grip means operatively interposedbetween said lever and said arm, a, link pivotally secured to the opposite end of saidlever, said lever provided with a stop limiting the pivotal movement of said link, a flexible member secured to said link,

free end of the frame, said flexible member secured intermediate the ends of said lever,

a pivoted link secured to the free end of said lever, a pull rod secured to said link and adapted'to extend through the dashboard, a guide tube for said pull rod provided with threads on the exterior, washers having inclined faces, loosely mounted 011 said tube, and adjusting nuts mounted on the threaded washers. H I

3. A starter for internal combustion engines, comprising a. shaft for an internal combustion engine, a member providedwith a cylindrical surface adapted to be connected thereto, an arm rotatably mounted on said shaft, a lever pivotally mounted on said arm eccentric tosaid shaft and provided on one end with a curved surface eccentric to the pivotal point thereof and disposed to engage the surface of said cylindrical memher, a link pivotally secured to theopposite end of said lever, said lever provided with a stop limiting the pivotal movement of said link, a flexible member secured to said link, a lever pivotally secured at one end to the engine frame, said flexible member secured intermediate the ends of said lever, a pivoted link secured to the free end of said lever, a pullrod secured to said link and adapted to extend through the dash. board, aguide tube for said pull rod provided with threads on the exterior, washers having inclined faces. loosely mounted on said tube, adjustmg nuts mounted on the threaded end of said guide tube 'forengagement with said washers, and'a handle adjustably mounted on said pull rod. p 7 I In witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribed our names this 115 Copies of thispatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissionerof 1atents;

r 4 1 Washington R-OP- 

